Nepal

In and around the Nepal valley the year

may be divided into the rainy, cold and hot seasons. The rains begin in June and last till October, the average fall being about 6o" annually. The cold season extends from the middle of October to the middle of April. From April to the beginning of the rains is the hot season, but the thermometer seldom exceeds 9o° in the shade. The mean temperature is 6o°. Violent thunderstorms are com mon, and occasionally severe earthquakes occur.

Flora and Fauna.

The flora and fauna are very varied. Nepal may again be divided into three zones : (I) the tarai and lower ranges of hills up to 4,000 ft. in height; (2) the central ranges and high-lying valleys, up to io,000 ft.; and (3) the alpine region, from 1 o,000 to 29,000 ft. in height.

The low alluvial land of the tarai is the granary of Nepal ; but the greater portion consists of swamps, jungles and forests. Considerable stretches of land are, however, being reclaimed from year to year. The productions here are those of British India— cotton, rice, wheat, pulse, sugar-cane, tobacco, opium, indigo and some fruits and vegetables. The forests yield a magnificent supply of sal, sisu and other valuable forest trees, and acacias, mimosas, cotton tree (Bombax), dak (Butea frondosa), large bamboos, rattans, palms, and numerous ferns and orchids. On the Churiaghati range the common Pinus longifolia grows freely. Tea can be grown at a height of from 2,000 to 4,00o feet. The middle zone supplies rice, wheat, maize, barley, oats, ginger, turmeric, chillies, potatoes, Cucurbitaceae, pineapples and many varieties of European fruits, vegetables and flowers. The forests contain tree rhododendrons, Pinus longifolia, oaks, horse-chest nuts, walnuts, maples, hill bamboos, wild cherry, pear, allies of the tea plant, paper plants (Daphne), roses, and many other in habitants of temperate climes, and orchids, ferns and wild flowers. In the alpine zone exist Coniferae of many kinds, junipers, yew, box, hollies, birch, dwarf rhododendrons and other alpine flora.

The fauna follows a similar distribution. In the lowest zone are found the tiger, leopard, wolf, hyena and jackal, the elephant and rhinoceros, the gaur (Gavaeus gaurus), gayal (Gavaeus fron talis) wild buffalo or arna, many species of deer, and the black bear (Ursus labiatus), pea-fowl, francolins, wild jungle fowl, and the smaller vultures, etc. In the middle zone the leopard, the

Himalayan black bear (Ursus tibetanus), the wild dog, cats of many sorts, squirrels, hares, porcupines, the pangolin, and some species of deer and antelope, the larger vultures and eagles, pheasants (Gallophasis), chikor, hill partridges, etc. In the alpine zone are found the true bear (Ursus isabellinus, or brown bear), the yak, musk deer, wild goats and sheep, marmots, the eagle vulture (Gypaetus), i.he blood pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus), snow pheasant (Tetraogallus himalayensis), snow partridge (Lerwa nivicola), the horned pheasant (Ceriornis saiyra), crested pheasant (Catrens wallichi), etc. Geese, waders of all sorts, and other migratory birds abound in the two lower zones.

Minerals.

The lowest zone abounds in fossils ; and deposits of lignite, and even of true coal, are met with, the latter notably at a place south of Palpa. The middle zone is rich in limestone, marbles and minerals, such as iron, copper, zinc, lead and sul phur. Copper is found near the surface in many places, and there are remains of mines both at Markhu and in the great val ley of Nepal. Mineral springs, hot and cold, are numerous. Traces of silver and gold have been found in the alpine zone.

People.

The races occupying Nepal are of mixed Mongol origin. To the north, in the higher mountains and valleys, dwell the Bhotias or Tibetans, to the west the Gurungs and Magars. The Murmis, Gorkhalis and Newars occupy the central parts, the Kiratis, Limbus and Lepchas the eastern. There are also Brahmans and Chhatris in the hills. There are other lesser tribes in the tarai and other malarious districts, known as Kumhas, Tharus, Manjis, etc., but generally classed together by the Nep alese as Aoulias, or dwellers in the districts where the aoul, a special type of malaria prevails. The Gorkhalis or Gurkhas are descendants of the Brahmans and Rajputs who were driven out of India by the Muslims, and took refuge in the western hilly lands, where they ultimately became dominant, and intermarried with the other races.